Asymmetric Optical Power Splitting System and Method

    公开(公告)号:US20230071329A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-09

    申请号:US17985615

    申请日:2022-11-11

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A waveguide structure and a method for splitting light is described. The method may include optically coupling a first waveguide and a second waveguide, where the optical coupling may be wavelength insensitive. The widths of the first and second waveguides may be non-adiabatically varying and the optical coupling may be asymmetric between the first and second waveguides. A gap between the first and second waveguides may also be varied non-adiabatically and the gap may depend on the widths of the first and second waveguides. The optical coupling between the first and second waveguides may also occur in the approximate wavelength range of 800 nanometers to 1700 nanometers.

    Light Source Modules for Noise Mitigation

    公开(公告)号:US20230012376A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-01-12

    申请号:US17859912

    申请日:2022-07-07

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Configurations for light source modules and methods for mitigating coherent noise are disclosed. The light source modules may include multiple light source sets, each of which may include multiple light sources. The light emitted by the light sources may be different wavelengths or the same wavelength depending on whether the light source module is providing redundancy of light sources, increased power, coherent noise mitigation, and/or detector mitigation. In some examples, the light source may emit light to a coupler or a multiplexer, which may then be transmitted to one or more multiplexers. In some examples, the light source modules provide one light output and in other examples, the light source modules provide two light outputs. The light source modules may provide light with approximately zero loss and the wavelengths of light may be close enough to spectroscopically equivalent respect to a sample and far enough apart to provide coherent noise mitigation.

    Optical system with phase shifting elements

    公开(公告)号:US11852865B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-12-26

    申请号:US17386362

    申请日:2021-07-27

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G02B6/12014 G02B6/12016

    Abstract: Configurations for an optical system with phase shifting elements are disclosed. The optical system may include a first waveguide that provides light to a second waveguide, which may be a slab waveguide. A phase shifting element may be disposed on the slab waveguide and may be heated to induce a temperature change in the slab waveguide. By increasing the temperature of the propagation region of the slab waveguide, the index of refraction of the propagation region of the slab waveguide may shift, thus causing the index of refraction of light propagating through the propagation region to shift, thus shifting the phase of the light. This may result in an optical component capable of phase shifting light for reducing coherent noise while being energy efficient and maintaining a small form factor.

    Mach-Zehnder interferometer device for wavelength locking

    公开(公告)号:US11835836B1

    公开(公告)日:2023-12-05

    申请号:US17015974

    申请日:2020-09-09

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G02F1/21 G02F1/212

    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an integrated photonics device including an on-chip wavelength stability monitor. The wavelength stability monitor may include one or more interferometric components, such as Mach-Zehnder interferometers and can be configured to select among the output signals from the interferometric components for monitoring the wavelength emitted by a corresponding photonic component, such as a light source. The selection may be based on a slope of the output signal and in some examples may correspond to a working zone at or around a wavelength or wavelength range. In some examples, the interferometric components can be configured with different phase differences such that the corresponding working zones have different wavelengths. In some examples, the slopes of the output signals may be weighted based on the steepness of the slope and all of the output signals may include information for wavelength locking the measured wavelength to the target wavelength.

    Asymmetric optical power splitting system and method

    公开(公告)号:US11500154B1

    公开(公告)日:2022-11-15

    申请号:US17073393

    申请日:2020-10-18

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A waveguide structure and a method for splitting light is described. The method may include optically coupling a first waveguide and a second waveguide, where the optical coupling may be wavelength insensitive. The widths of the first and second waveguides may be non-adiabatically varying and the optical coupling may be asymmetric between the first and second waveguides. A gap between the first and second waveguides may also be varied non-adiabatically and the gap may depend on the widths of the first and second waveguides. The optical coupling between the first and second waveguides may also occur in the approximate wavelength range of 800 nanometers to 1700 nanometers.

    Optical System with Phase Shifting Elements

    公开(公告)号:US20220091334A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-03-24

    申请号:US17386362

    申请日:2021-07-27

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Configurations for an optical system with phase shifting elements are disclosed. The optical system may include a first waveguide that provides light to a second waveguide, which may be a slab waveguide. A phase shifting element may be disposed on the slab waveguide and may be heated to induce a temperature change in the slab waveguide. By increasing the temperature of the propagation region of the slab waveguide, the index of refraction of the propagation region of the slab waveguide may shift, thus causing the index of refraction of light propagating through the propagation region to shift, thus shifting the phase of the light. This may result in an optical component capable of phase shifting light for reducing coherent noise while being energy efficient and maintaining a small form factor.

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